Burning Wheel has another one. What's interesting about the Burning Wheel system is that they don't use money. They use resource dice which are used for purchasing things. This is actually a pretty good way of illustrating haggling as well. The other thing about BW is that cycle is flexible. They recommend doing it either monthly or seasonally, but the GM is free to set the taxation cycle as whatever he wants it to be and the book points out that altering the cycle will actually change the feel of the campaign, so that's a useful tool to have.
The World of Darkness has one, too. That is they have the background: resources. Based on how many points you have invested your character will receive either a monthly income or a one-time lump sum. It's pretty straight forward. I will also add, that while there are no specific rules governing it, I have seen resource dice added to social rolls before, these were typically done for haggling or bribery and any resource dice would be 'lost' until the next cycle.
However, for some reason, the idea of paying taxes is anathema to a gamer. They just don't want to do it. Now, it has been put forward that part of the reason for this is because we have to pay taxes in the real world and it's unpleasant enough that we don't want it included in our fantasies. That's fine, but I'm looking at something bigger. What I'm looking at is a system where everything matters.
My idea is this: You have a number of lifestyles and each of these has a cost (which I've left off because GM's will probably want to tier things to fit their specific games. And also has some effects. On top of this a percentage is calculated of the value all the major items that a hero owns: Weapons, armor, magic items, land, horses, anything else of spectacular value as determined by the GM. This amount will be compared to a scale and depending on where it falls on the scale will determine what kind of bonuses that a player receives. Paying more in taxes may give your hero more access to the king and demonstrate a greater buying power which actually helps you negotiate with other businessmen. What I'm trying to do is introduce a hated simulationist element and use it to really create the feeling of a real culture inhabited by real people who actually respond to your hero's wealth and power the way that I believe people really would.
Squatter: You are barely one step up
from living on the street. You eat what you can, when you can with
no guarantees of when your next meal will be or if it will even be
safe to eat it. You sleep in different places, sometimes on the
streets, sometimes squatting, sometimes in a common room, or a flop
house. Your clothes are thread bare and you probably can't afford to
replace them.
-5 to all social rolls
-5 to all checks v. extreme climate
-5 to wound tests
Extra: A hero who lives at a squatter
is constantly exposed to sickness and the elements. As a squatter, a
hero must make a fortitude test every cycle or risk contracting a
terrible illness (think the plague , cholera, or typhoid)
Laborer: As a laborer you are in the
lower, but working, class. If you are lucky enough to own your own
home or rent a house, you can bet it's in a bad neighborhood. You
might rent a room at a boarding house or a small apartment. Your
clothes are well worn and you can only replace them sparingly. Your
meals are spartan, but wholesome, and give you the strength to keep
working.
-2 to all social rolls
-2 to all tests v. extreme climate
-2 to all wound tests
Middle Class: As a member of the
middle class you might have any number of jobs. You might be a
senior laborer or possibly an overseer (manager). You could be an
artisan or craftsman, such as a smith or baker. Your clothes are in
good condition and can be replaced when need be. You eat well,
though not extravagantly. You may own a small house or rent a decent
apartment.
No modifiers.
Merchant Class: As a merchant, you run
a larger business than just a smithy or bakery. You may be in the
caravan trade or importing and exporting goods by sea. You dress
nicely and eat well. You have sufficient seasonal clothing as well.
+2 to all social rolls
+2 to all rolls v. extreme climate
+2 to wound checks.
Low noble: You live at the level of a
knight or possibly a baron. You live in a nice house or lavish
apartment. Your clothes are nice and you dine well on high quality
foods. It is likely that you keep a housekeeper on staff.
+3 to all social rolls
+3 to tests v extreme climates
+3 to all wound tests
Middle Noble: You live at the level of
a Count or Viscount. You might live in a large house, lavish
apartment, or a private estate. You may even have access to a second
home. Your clothes are very fine and fashionable and can be replaced
regularly. You dine well at every meal and like throw or attend
feasts on the major holidays.
+4 to all social rolls
+4 to all tests v. extreme climates
+4 to all wound tests
High noble: You like at the level of a
Duke. You live in a very fine or home or in an extremely lavish
apartment or a large villa or estate. Your home is maintained by
housekeepers and groundskeepers. Your clothes are the latest
fashions and can replaced at your whim. You eat the best foods and
are well fed at every meal.
+5 to all social rolls
+5 to all tests v. extreme climates
+5 to all wound tests
Royalty: You like like the heir or
rule of a kingdom. You live a life of luxury. You wear the cutting
edge of fashion, sometimes wearing a garment only once before
discarding it. You dine sumptuously and likely can throw major
feasts 4-5 times per year. Your home, whether a lavish house,
apartment, or villa is fully staffed with servants or slaves and you
have 1 or 2 personal attendants (squire, valet, courtesan, or
concubine). You also have a good horse to your name or a small
coach.
+6 to all social rolls
+6 to all tests v. extreme climates
+6 to all wound tests
Dependants:
Spouse: +25%
Child: +10% per child
The maintenance cycle.
Note above that the price was given per
day. It is not my intent to have the heroes doing their scutwork
every single day. Rather, this is done so that a maintenance cycle
can be set. Typically this would be done either weekly, monthly, or
seasonally. Though, annually or any other period of time can be set.
So, if you set the cycle at a week,
you'll just take the daily cost and multiply it by 5.
Maintaining your gear!
Gear needs to be cleaned and
maintained. Handles need to be retooled and armor needs to have its
straps re-stitched. Horses have to be re-shod and the list goes on
and on.
Players must track (GMs may also want
to track this as well) the value of all weapons, armor, horses,
barding, magic items, and other 'high value items' (this can be set
by the GM). The hero must pay 5% annually. This is a combination of
maintenance and taxation. It is an annual 5%, but it can be broken
down to fit the maintenance cycle. Example: In a weekly cycle you
would determine your 5% value and then divide that by 52.
Eventually, I'll include my own economy
and the scale that determines what the taxation 'bonuses' are. My
economy is vastly different because I based it on the penny:
literally. A friend of mine (Tom) started running a game years back
using physical money. He bought fake U.S. Currency from the dollar
store, gold coins from the party supply store, and plastic beads for
gems from the craft store. Then he started an economy where a beer
was 1-5 pennies depending on size and quality and a decent night's
sleep at an inn was a quarter. A sword was 85 cents and a shield was
100. Armor was very expensive and magic items weren't traded much at
all. I really liked this idea and followed suit. If you want to do
the same it's not hard. It will cost less than 50 dollars if you do
it right. That's about 25 at the dollar store, 10 at the party
supply store, and another 15 at the craft store. For me and the
people that I've played with in these games: it's totally worth the
investment. Compare it to the cost of a gaming book and you'll find
it might be the best investment you ever make in gaming. It adds a
whole new level of to it, the first time you open up a shoe box full
of actual coins rather than being read numbers.
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